Gerwyn Price has been fined £21,500 and given a three-month suspended sentence for his Grand Slam of Darts final spat with Gary Anderson.
The Welshman and Scotsman clashed in the final of the Grand Slam of Darts back in November, with the pair coming together in two legs during the 16-13 success for Price.
Two-time world champion Anderson squared up to Price and was unhappy with what he thought were over-exaggerated celebrations from Price, aimed at putting Anderson off his game.
Both had been referred to the Darts Regulation Authority, who have hit Price with the hefty punishment for his behaviour not only in the final but in his quarter-final victory over Simon Whitlock.
The DRA said Price's actions "were very serious and went beyond what was acceptable" and that he was "overly aggressive in his behaviour in his matches" while concluding that his antics were "a cynical attempt to put off his opponents to gain him an advantage".
Having found Price guilty of bringing the game into disrepute, the DRA has handed down the punishment in a bid to try and stamp out this type of unsportsmanlike behaviour, after the incident attracted a huge of negative publicity for the sport.
Price was find £8,000 for the quarter-final, £12,000 for the final and a further £1,500 for his social media comments, while he was warned about his future behaviour when given his three-month suspended sentence.
Anderson was given a formal warning but escaped any further punishment as it was deemed that he was the target of extreme provocation.
Full DRA judgement and statement
Gerwyn Price
The Committee found that Mr Price had brought the sport into disrepute by his actions and that they amounted to gamesmanship in his matches with Mr Whitlock and Mr Anderson. Mr Price’s actions were very serious and went beyond what was acceptable in his celebrations and he was overly aggressive in his behaviour in his matches. It was decided that his actions were a cynical attempt to put off his opponents to gain him an advantage.
These actions were in the Quarter-Final and Final of a prestigious televised event and drew an unprecedented number of complaints from members of the public.
In making the decision on sanction the Committee took into account that in October 2017 Mr Price was found to be in breach of the rules for gamesmanship involving the use of aggressive behaviour. The Committee also took into account that Mr Price had previously been fined and warned as to his future behaviour regarding an inappropriate social media post.
The sanction imposed on Mr Price is:
1. For Bringing the sport into disrepute and gamesmanship in the GSOD Quarter-Final Mr Price is to pay a fine of £8,000
2. For Bringing the sport into disrepute and gamesmanship in the GSOD Final Mr Price is to pay a fine of £12,000
3. In relation to 1. And 2. Above Mr Price will also be suspended from attending or competing in DRA sanction events for a period of three months. This will be suspended for a period of six months until 11th July 2019.
This means that should Mr Price be found guilty of any breach of the DRA Rules up to and including the 11th July 2019, the Disciplinary Committee will, unless there are extreme mitigating circumstances, impose the three-month suspension in addition to any penalty for the new offence.
4. For inappropriate posts on social media Mr Price is to pay a fine of £1,500 and warned as to his future behaviour.
Gary Anderson
The Committee found that Mr Anderson was in breach of the rules when he pushed Mr Price during the GSOD Final.
The Committee’s view was that Mr Anderson was significantly provoked during the match by his opponent that resulted in what is clearly a non- aggressive push by Mr Anderson on Mr Price. It is the view of the Committee that it is not acceptable for a Player to lay hands on another Player, irrespective of the provocation.
The sanction imposed on Mr Anderson is a formal warning.
Both Players have 14 days to appeal the decision of the Tribunal
The DRA Rules
3.1. No player or other person bound by these rules shall make or cause to be made any statement or commit or cause to be committed any act which in the reasonable view of the DRA is likely to bring into disrepute the sport of Darts.
3.2. All Players, Members and Guests will desist from any behaviour which may reasonably be construed as gamesmanship before, during or after any Match at any Darts Event.
Gamesmanship is defined as: “Any action carried out by a Player during an Event that is intended to gain an advantage by putting off an opponent”.